[deleted]

I remember many things that happened in my youth, but one particular one I keep in my heart, is the dings and dongs of my grandfather's clock, which stood in the library as a shining remembrance of my deceased grandfather...

The man was jolly as anyone can be, consistently with bad puns and his enthusiasm for repairing stuff, as he once repaired the great clock that now had a weird tune whenever it marked six PM.

I didn't say he was the perfect man, did I?

No, his heart was filled with the hatred of decades past, for anyone who wasn't as he was, when the family discovered my sister was leaving home to live in a free union, he was the first to call her a bitch...

When I came out as gay... he insisted to my entire family that I should've been taken to the military, and that they would straighten me out...

When he died, I couldn't remember the happy times, of which they were many, my mind fixated on how the hate in his heart disallowed him to see us as his children anymore... luckily the rest of our family was there to protect us from his un-founded wrath...

...Now I can't help but feel uneasy when someone says that they "miss my grandfather"...

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_3NGcYVVAE)

Thank you for your submission; you story scored 14 points!

"And that's why I know you're the killer!" concluded Xavier confidently.

Everybody in the drawing room gasped and stared at me. Their eyes were accusing, condemning, afraid but ready to fight. I felt like a tiger loosed amongst them.

Like a tiger, I wanted to roar, to lash out, to flee. But I was no mere beast. I was Archibald Darius Rucker, and nobody got the better of Archie, not an overpriced whore like dear departed Rebecca and not a so-called master detective like Xavier Black.

He was right about me, unfortunately. Every circumstance he described occured as he deduced. He wasn't exactly correct about everything my motives, but close enough to be damning. That wasn't good.

However, as my dad used to say, close only counted in horseshoes and hand grenades. Decades of doing business in the most cutthroat markets of the world inured me to the most righteous activist protestor and corrupt bureaucrat alike.

I needed time. I had time. More importantly, I had money. And with that came the best damn lawyer alive.

So I sighed and shook my head ruefully, hiding my smile. "Wonderful performance. Tell me, how often have you rehearsed?" I asked, unable to resist taking a jab at me adversary.

"When you speak the truth, no rehearsal is necessary," Xavier asserted righteously.

"I know many people who would disagree, Mr. Black. Yvonne, you would need time to disclose exactly how you concluded the Morrison merger, wouldn't you? Not because it was dishonest, merely because it was complex. And Mark, you and I both know you wife believed you cheated, but convincing her that we really had been working late couldn't have been easy, no?"

I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't sure they'd agree with me. And as they did, the audience started looking unsure. I pressed my advantage. "Indeed, Mr. Black, human beings believe they're characters in a story and expect certain story beats. It's why a story like yours sounds believable. But that isn't how justice works. You need proof. Real, concrete proof. And where there's doubt, people aren't thrown in jail, no matter what convincing fable you tell."

"Your speech flowed pretty easily yourself," Xavier retorted. "Haven't you prepared for this moment?"

I laughed. "In a sense, perhaps. If you'd check my interview with the Economist, you'd see I said the same sort of thing before."

"This nonsense doesn't bring Rebecca back!" he declared.

"No. It doesn't. My dear guests, I'm very sorry to have to trouble you with all this," I said, slowly reaching into my jacket with a smile.

Xavier pounced, tackling me to the ground and punching me. I wasn't used to being hit and saw red, but he was younger and stronger than me. I didn't fight back as he subdued me, but when Xavier searched me, all he found was a pen and notepad. He let go, confusedly muttering, "I was sure he had a gun."

I dusted myself off and stroked my bruised jaw. "You hit me, you asshole! Everybody saw that! Everyone here will be a witness not only about this assault, but the heinous slander this madman spread! Mr. Black, get the hell out of my house! You'll be hearing from my lawyer!" I finally roared.

So good 🙂

[removed]

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Piano

Thanks! What an interesting setting!

Let's try deceptively simple: the human voice.

[deleted]

Good one! I had the same idea!

Thank you!

Nyckelharpa

Mayonnaise

Glockenspiel. ( I don't know what it looks like or sounds like I just heard about it somewhere.)

Ocarina

[deleted]

If you cross the river here, through the stone bridge that will swallow you up if your heart is heavy with evil... you may arrive at a tiny temple at the base of the mountain, there you may find a wise man, who shall ask you to say your three favorite things in the world... you mustn't lie, he'll know and won't give you access to the stairs leading to the top of the mountain...

As you go up, through every step, you'll remember a thousand reasons to come back, if there is none, you'll believe fake reasons, many of which have made brave men turn back and run downstairs...

There is a tiny wooden box in the top mountain, and in that box, there is a silver owl, and that owl holds in its beak a little tied note, if you are brave enough to snatch the note, you'll find a truth inside, a truth you must accept right away, otherwise, the little owl may get angered and attack you.

...The truth is about yourself, and it's true beyond any shadow of a doubt... that little scroll knows you better than you know youtself.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujzMHLac404)

[removed]

you've probably got a lot on your hands, but guzheng

Hurdy Gurdy

Bagpipes, laddie!

##The Last Missed Goodbye

Gerald smiles at his younger self and his little brother Daryl as they play in their room.

Gerry changed his battle bot’s setting to offense and was striking Daryl’s robot. Daryl pretended his robot had lost function to stop the fight. When Gerry stopped attacking, Daryl switched his into attack mode.

Gerald laughs at the scene. His brother used that trick so many times, but Gerald always played along.

“You shouldn’t be here, and you know it,” Jack says from behind him.

“Be quiet. You’re interrupting the important moment,” Gerald says.

“Kids, I’m going to the store.” Gerry’s mom walked into the room. Gerry left his toys and ran to give his mom a massive hug.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you too.” His mom giggled and wrapped her arms around him. “But I have to go.”

“No don’t,” Gerry said.

“What’s gotten into you?” Daryl asked.

“You told him. Didn’t you?” Jack asks.

“I planted the thought into his mind that he should appreciate his mom today. I didn’t mention anything about the accident in the tunnel,” Gerald replies.

“Why would you do that? You know it’s going to cause an anachronism. Your mother’s death, while tragic, was one of many outcomes. The outcomes became circumstances which later created the outcome of-”

“Yes yes yes, I know all about that.” Gerald waves his hands. “You’re going to lecture me about time loops and paradoxes. Don’t bother. I completed my fiftieth chronal realignment when you were still studying string theory.”

“Which is why it’s shocking to see you doing this.” Jack shakes his head. “I looked up to you. You were a model for duty and keeping the agency’s values.”

“I never agreed with those values, but I didn’t care enough to correct them. For instance.” Gerald holds out his arm. “What’s the harm in giving a boy a chance to say goodbye.”

“Sorry, I’m being weird, mom. I just had a nightmare where I saw you get hurt, and it scared me,” Gerry began to cry.

“Oh sweetie.” His mom bent down and wiped his face. “It’s okay to worry about your family. I worry about you two all the time, but there’s parts of our lives that we can’t control. If I get hurt, I’ll get better. I’m only leaving for a quick errand. When I come back, we can eat ice cream and watch a movie.”

“But what if you don’t come back?” Gerry whimpered.

“Well, that’s horrible to think about, and I will come back,” his mom paused, “But if I don’t, I know I’ll live on with you two. In your hearts and memories.” She turned and walked away. Daryl came behind his brother and pushed him.

“Why were you being so weird?” he asked.

“Shut up,” Gerry replied.

Gerald smiles and cries at the scene. Jack monitors the timeline with his temporal tracker.

“Hmm, your mother still dies in the same accident, and you are still a decorated chronal officer for now.” Jack shifts through the tracker. “But she got into an accident with someone else. Who knows what kind of impact that might have on the future.”

“That’s fine. I knew the events wouldn’t play out in the exact same fashion. But I got the chance to say good-bye and tell her I love her. All my life I wished I had more time to say goodbye, And now, there was time enough, at last.” Gerald holds out his wrists. “Arrest me Jack. My work is done.”

“You realize we may have to perform a reversion if we find your change is too great.” Jack puts on the handcuffs.

“Of course, I only wanted to see myself say goodbye to her. That’s all. I hope Daryl and I are still close,” Gerald says. Jack opens the portal behind them.

“I don’t know whether to condemn you or pat you on the back,” Jack says.

“Do both or neither,” Gerald smiles, “Just make sure you think for yourself in the future.”

r/AstroRideWrites

Harmonica